Premier League rankings: Tottenham analysis, line-up & predicted finish

He's magic you know. Or lucky. Or both.

Mauricio Pochettino's Tottenham lost 20 matches in all competitions last season, moved into their new stadium nearly seven months later than advertised, suffered terribly with injuries and spent nada in the transfer window but still hit the primary target of finishing in the Premier League's top four with the added bonus of a Champions League final spot.

All those of a Spurs persuasion will cherish the emotional run to Madrid, as their team came back from the dead on numerous occasions to achieve famous results in Barcelona, Manchester and Amsterdam, even if the end result was another season without silverware.

But finishing in the Champions League qualification spots is almost like a trophy these days, such is the stiff Premier League competition and Spurs did that despite collecting 11 points from the last 36 available as fatigue kicked in.

Whether Pochettino's Harry Potter-style wizarding ways are overstated or not, he clearly needed help. Potter had Hermione Granger and now Pochettino has Tanguy Ndombele.

The midfielder arrives from Lyon as Tottenham's most expensive signing and a beacon of much-needed ambition if Spurs are to put trophies into their shiny stadium.

Renaissance man Moussa Sissoko saved the midfield in the second half of the season and it was abundantly obvious Tottenham needed strengthening to support the attacking talents of Harry Kane, Heung-Min Son, Dele Alli and Lucas Moura.

Pochettino, who had threatened to quit if Tottenham lifted the European Cup, has since spoken of rebuilding the team with Kieran Trippier shipped off to Atletico Madrid and doubts remaining over the future of Toby Alderweireld, Danny Rose and Christian Eriksen.

It means the overall shape of the team won't be known until closer to the transfer window, although Spurs have established themselves as genuine Premier League heavyweights.

They have finished in the top six for ten successive campaigns and the top four every year since 2015-16. Expect another solid season.

Possible team (4-1-2-3): Lloris; Aurier, Alderweireld, Vertonghen, Rose; Winks; Ndombele, Eriksen; Alli; Son, Kane.

Follow us on Twitter

Like us on Facebook RacingPostSport